Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-12-01
Ben's Foreign Service.


Of Wesley Grange. had come prett,
nearl, to the end Of his tether. HI
had but lately succeeded to the estate
and 1t had come to him very heavily
encountered; and now. with reduced
rents. irregularly paid. he found it I'M
poss BILE to go on. He had. therefore,
determined to spend couple of years
on the continent, during which time he
hoped that the agricultural depressions
would pass away.
The establ shment at the hall was
not a large one by any means for
country bachelor s1u re. but it was lar
ger than he could afford to keep up
under existing rcumsiances. SO one
evening he called his servants together
and told them how matt rs were with
him. bidding them seek other institu,
tons at once.
His personal servant. Ben Higgins.
was not inclu ted in the general dsmis-
sal. but WAS destined to accompany h S
master abroad. Ben was one of those
men not unfrequently met with in the
country-a man who could turn his
hand to most things, though he might
not lie good at any. The position he
held at Wesley Grange was a cross be-
tween valet and gamekeeper, but at
odd times he had been known to cook
his masters dinner and make his mas
ters's bed. Tn s was during a grous-
ing expedition to the Welsh hills, but
the rumor of it had travelled to West
ley. Bon was in high spirits when he
was told Of the journey in store for him
I'm teach these foreigners thing
or two." he said to the cook one night;
to which she rcplied: "You be very
careful, Mr.. Ben. that they don't teach
you more than you teach them"
Them" he cred; chem teach me?
Why 1 could wallop the lot of 'cm, if |
wanted to-"
Then you mind you don't want to, :"
she answered.
''Why. you know very WE'LL" con-
tinued Ben, "that l set your watch
agoing after James, the matchmaker,
had had it month, and couldn't make
nothing of it; and stopped the blue
bed room chimbIy smoking when the
smoke had nearly druv you all out of
the place "
Rubbish" she said 1.-The watch
win nd m 1h nIIl a.
smoked because there was Il bag OF straw
in it. You needn't crow over them
things young man."
Yes, there was little ill feeling on
the past of the cook toward Ben. She
had claimed him for her own original
ly, but Ben had fought shy; and latter
ly he had been paying n good deal OF
attention to Anna. the housemaid ut the
rectOry. Either fault alone. on Ben :
part would have made the cook some
what aggrived toward him, but the two
combined was more than culinary
flesh and blood could stand. Thus il
happened that her tongue had an ac-
cess of acerbity when moving at Ben.
Down at the rectOry the commotiOn
was nearly MS general. The servants
discussed the situation from morning
till night, and Anna received many UNI
pleasant jeers.
Stick to your said the coachman,
"not he. Them sort never st cks &c
nothing but their baccv. When you
says goodby to Ben, you says gOodby
for ever. my lass"
He Can please himself" she said
"but if he thinks | shall die broken
hearted because he takes on with som,
foreign girl. he's very much mistook.
that's alwa the way with yoI
women folk. You talk as big us e
and when it comes to. you doubles NJ
to moth ng."
But Ben and mes different" sal,
Anna. If he's not in earnest. n
more aren't L. VIII CHI was, perhaps
consolat0rr.
The time slipped rapidly by. and
wanted but day II Ben and h mast
or should start for the continent
Tint night Ben repaired to the rector,
and had a parting interview VT
Anna. His last words we're: You
not forget me. Anna, when l am parte
from you? I'm aeon ny back for yo
some day. Till then. no river!
It'll what?"
That's bit of French, my dear
I've bin learning the langwidge lately
It's something Ike .goodby.' onl
more so. Ho river!' And SO the
parted.
In the course of a few weeks Be
and his master were comfortably settle
in small German village near Bonn
The house where they had made the
home was an old farmhouse that la
once belonged to noble family, BIT
was now partly fallen to decay.
was inhab ted by the present owner
who carried on the bus ness of a sma
farmer and wine grower. He had ne
Their wife nor child, the domestic funC
tons being superintendent, and in
great measure performed. by siste
Naturally. therefore. it came about thu
Ben and Fraulein Schmidt were ofte
in each others company. and, natura
iy. also. Ben improved the occasion.
And the Fraulein herself grew real
to like the big boastful Engl shma
and did her best to make both h
dodgers contented with their temper
ry home. This was about the positiC
OF affairs when, some Is months aft
they had left England, Mr.. Westl'
told Ben he should soon be returnn
This was a sud blow to Ben. No mo
poached eggs on hot buttered toast,
more tempting Rhine wine. no mo
idle DAYS. He told the Fraulein VIII
the Herr had said. and she. too, grie
ed. No more stories about Londo
no more leaves from the stately gene
logical tree; no more pleasant eve
ings.